The day a spotter saved my load swing

I spent 5 years thinking I could eyeball every pick solo, but last Tuesday a spotter on a job in Portland shouted at me to take my time with the boom angle. He was right, I had been swinging loads too fast and nearly hit a parked truck. Anyone else been humbled by a spotter pointing out something you thought you had down?

2 comments

2 Comments

webb.xena17d ago

Shouted at me to take my time with the boom angle" - wait, he had to shout at you to slow down? That part threw me. I mean, five years solo and you were swinging loads fast enough that a spotter had to yell to get your attention near a parked truck. That's wild. Not judging, I promise, but I am a little shocked you didn't catch that yourself before he said something. The fact that you nearly hit a truck and it took someone shouting to stop you makes me think you were really pushing it. Glad you listened though, a lot of guys would have just ignored him.

jake_mason3017d ago

Working solo that long your brain builds these shortcuts where you think you've got the room you need because you've done it so many times. Getting tunnel vision is real, you stop seeing the small stuff like how far a load actually swings on a boom extension because you're focused on the hook and the target. That spotter saved you more than a truck, he saved you from a habit that could have been a lot worse.